1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a seed meter and accelerator permitting increased planting speeds and improved seed spacing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Row crop planters can accurately meter and place seed in a seed trench. Typical row crop planters are not operated at planting speeds exceeding six miles per hour. At faster speeds the seed is not evenly spaced in the seed trench. Part of this spacing problem can be traced to the seed tube into which metered seed is deposited and through which it falls to the seed trench. As the seed falls through the seed tube it bounces back and forth in the seed tube. This is especially true at faster planting speeds. Seed tubes are curved rearwardly imparting a rearward thrust to the seed to counteract the forward speed of the planter. Seed tubes are designed to accommodate a selected range of planting speeds, the tubes cannot be adjusted to faster planting speeds.
The Kliene seed meter is an attempt to overcome these problems by accelerating the seed after it has been metered and directly depositing the seed in the seed trench from the accelerator.
A seed meter and accelerator comprises a stationary housing, a stationary axially extending dispensing rim, a radially extending flange and a rotating disc. The stationary housing is provided with an axially extending metering rim. The metering rim is provided with a metering gap. The stationary axially extending dispensing rim is located radially outward from the metering rim and is provided with a dispensing gap. The radially extending flange extends between the axially extending metering rim and the axially extending dispensing rim. In the illustrated embodiment the radially extending flange is integral with the stationary housing and the stationary dispensing rim, however this flange could also be made integral with the rotating disc. The rotating disc is provided with an inner portion having circumferentially arranged seed pockets and an outer portion having seed dispensing openings. Each seed pocket corresponds to a seed dispensing opening. Passages extend between the seed pockets and the seed dispensing openings. The seed pockets of the inner portion are located adjacent to and radially inward from the metering rim. The metering rim prevents the radially outward release of seed from the seed pockets until a seed pocket is registered with the metering gap. The seed dispensing openings are located adjacent to and radially inward from the dispensing rim, so that the dispensing rim prevents the radially outward release of seed from the seed dispensing openings. A source of air pressure pressurizes the stationary housing driving seeds into the seed pockets. When a seed pocket is registered with the metering gap the air pressure and centrifugal force drive the seed outwardly through the passage to the seed dispensing opening. At the opening the seed is held in place by the air pressure and the centrifugal force of the rotating disc, until it reaches the seed dispensing gap. As the seed is released from the seed dispensing gap it proceeds into the seed trench.